Wilfredo Derequito Poet Free verse

Old Piano Book

Now yellowed with age
a lonely music book,
hidden in every page
old musician dreams

of endless nights passed
struggling with melodies,
lovely trills and arpeggios,
etudes and symphonies;

a sentry keeping watch
over dirtied ivory keys
played and loved once
by souls of olden days;

labors of faceless men
held close to its breast,
strains still remembered
kept deep in the chest;

an old piano book stands
now sullied by the years,
within its torn pages live
dead musician tears.

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Raul Moreno May 3, 2009 at 1:39 PM Nice work, good luck with this one in the next round...Raul

Sue Mason April 26, 2009 at 2:05 PM Reminds me of my "Elegy to Jazz" ... smile ... this is my favorite of the two you have in the contest and best wishes to you always, Fred.

Carol Sunshine Brown April 10, 2009 at 4:56 AM Congratulations on your poetry making it into the semi finals. Wishing you the best of luck in the finals Fred. Love, Carol

Adeleke Adeite April 4, 2009 at 9:59 PM congrats on a well desevered first round survival. wishing you all the best in the finals. love Leke

April 3, 2009 at 4:46 PM Congratulations on having two poems chosen as semi-finalists. Way to go! Good luck in the finals. Keep on writing! Karen

Sharon Winter March 31, 2009 at 6:17 AM Congrats Fred on both poems making it through to the first round! Way to go! Good luck in the finals. Love, Shar

Carol Sunshine Brown February 27, 2009 at 7:04 AM Congratulations on your excellent poetry being featured this week. May you have many more featured Fred. Love, Carol

Laura Mckenzie February 25, 2009 at 4:22 PM Very stirring write filled with emotion! Congratulations on your wonderful featured poem! Laura :)

Tyesha Ehigiator February 25, 2009 at 3:33 PM Beautiful write, very intriguing and creative work here..Congratulations on your lovely poetry being featured this week.God Bless

February 25, 2009 at 10:26 AM Creative images convey your thoughts in an artistic way. Congratulations on having your poem featured! Keep up the good writing. Wishing you ongoing success. Karen

Daver Austin February 25, 2009 at 5:53 AM Congrats on this fine selection. I don't play anymore, but when I do look at an old book of pieces the memories flood. And, oh my god, when I hear one of my favorite works over the radio or on recording the tears flood. Being a retired pro musician, at 80 most of my heroes are long gone. Love, daver

Vince Suzadail Jr. February 24, 2009 at 9:10 AM Hey Fred, Congrats on "Old Piano Book" being featured this week. Hope all is well. Vince

Sharon Winter February 23, 2009 at 5:04 PM Hi Wilfredo. Hope you are enjoying a beautiful vacation. Miss you like crazy. Cause we both are crazy. : ) Congrats on your coolio featured write. Love & hugs, me xoxo

Carrie Richards February 22, 2009 at 10:33 AM So glad this was featured again! This made me think of my piano bench that is filled with yellowed pages from old music selections that have been passed down through the family. Things my parents played, I've played, and now my grandchildren. Loved this memory! ~ love, Carrie

Farah Chamma December 18, 2008 at 9:55 PM That's a wonderful write Fred...It brings such peace even though it expresses nostalgic yearning...May all be fine where you are... Take good care my friend..Always, Farah

Denis Joe December 17, 2008 at 10:17 AM There is something in the narrative that reminds me of Ginsberg. I realise that this is not the sort of narrative that he would have produced but I think it is in the way that the language and the flow of it works. The enjambment is excellent in this and there is no pause that is unnecessary. The closing lines of the first and last stanza are great. The avoidance of sentimentalizing by not using ‘musician’s’ is a powerful factor in the poem and acts as an anchorage for the narration.

Keith Bickerstaffe December 17, 2008 at 9:20 AM Nostalgic and sad... the flow is so smooth it reads like it should rhyme. Your final verse has such a rhyme, and brings the piece to a perfect conclusion. BRAVO my friend! Best wishes, Keith

Carrie Richards December 17, 2008 at 8:26 AM I have a few of these tucked away in my piano bench! I get them out from time to time, play them, and think of my mother sitting at the piano with the same old, tattered books. Some have lost their covers, are torn, but I will pass them on to my daughter. Lovely poem, Daver. >>Love, Carrie

Sean Kelly December 17, 2008 at 7:44 AM Well done , Freddie !! Play onnnnnn, my man..

Christopher Higgins December 17, 2008 at 6:19 AM Loved this immensely my friend. I love it from start to finish. Great depiction with words that made this old book play great music. Superb job!

Sharon Winter December 17, 2008 at 6:13 AM Wow. You brought this book and it's owner back to life. Sad to be old and gone, but hopefully never forgotten. Music and it's creators live on. Beautiful poem. Love, Shar

Kristin Reynolds December 17, 2008 at 2:24 AM Wow, this is awesome. I love anything old or antique; anything used and touched by the hands of ages, holds a mystery for me, that I cannot explain. A beautiful poem. I sure would love to get my hands on a really old book like that. Love, Kristin

Raul Moreno December 17, 2008 at 1:45 AM Nice poem, I love listening to music played by the piano...Raul